A habitat of about 100 giant Taiwanese cypress trees has been discovered near the southern end of the Central Mountain Range, with the trunk of the largest of the trees measuring 15m in circumference.
The trees were discovered in the Dapu Mountain (大浦山) area by a 13-member team from the Forestry Bureau’s Taitung Forest District Office last month during an annual wildlife survey in the mountain range.
The office’s Lin Jun-jung (林潤榮) said on Dec. 25 that the team spent 11 days surveying the Shuang-guei Lake Major Wildlife Habitat, which is known for having a diverse ecosystem encompassing vast virgin forests, as well as about 26 species of mammals and 86 species of birds.
Photo: CNA, courtesy of the Forestry Bureau
The biggest tree found required 10 people to encircle its trunk, Lin said.
The survey team flew by helicopter to the mountainous region and then trekked for several days across the area, the office said.
Team member Wu Wei-hau (吳偉豪) said it was his first time surveying the natural reserve, adding that the lake enjoys distinctive atmospheric conditions that are favorable for ferns, lycopods and epiphytic orchids.
“For academics who study these plants, the lake is a sacred place,” Wu said.
However, the office’s disclosure of the location of the Taiwanese cypress trees has raised concerns that it would encourage illegal logging, as the wood is very valuable.
A 50kg chunk of Taiwanese cypress can fetch NT$20,000 to NT$60,000.
However, the office countered that logging the trees would not be financially viable due to their remote location.
The best way to protect natural resources is to make public where they are, so as to raise awareness about them, the office said.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
The Ministry of Environment yesterday held a seminar in Taipei for experts from Taiwan and Japan to exchange their experiences on the designs and development of public toilets. Japan Toilet Association chairman Kohei Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the eco-toilet set up at Daan Forest Park, adding that Japan still faces issues regarding public restrooms despite the progress it made over the past decades. For example, an all-gender toilet was set up in Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District several years ago, but it caused a public backlash and was rebuilt into traditional men’s and women’s toilets, he said. Japan Toilet Association
RSS